Islamic art : selected examples from the loan exhibition of Islamic art at the Cleveland Museum of Art

THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART

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ISLAMIC ART

SELECTED EXAMPLES FROM THE
LOAN EXHIBITION OF ISLAMIC ART AT
THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART

THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART
1 944

Youth Sleeping under a Willow Tree
Persians late XVI century
Lent by Mrs. Kirkor Minassian
Purchased by the Museum
The J. H. Wade Fund

PRINTED BY THE ARTCRAFT PRINTING COMPANY

CLEVELAND

COPYRIGHT, I944

THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OK ART

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I FOREWORD 1

The exhibition of Islamic Art held at The Cleveland Museum of
Art from November 3, 1944 through February 4, 1945 is one of
the most outstanding exhibitions of its kind ever held. The
number of pieces included in the exhibition, 490 in all, the paper
shortage, and other difficulties have made it impossible to issue
a catalogue. However, as a catalogue at best could have in¬
cluded only a limited number of illustrations, and as illustra¬
tions are always the most important material for both specialist
and layman, the Museum is issuing this picture-book instead,
which presents many of the important items exhibited. A few of
the pieces are known by reproduction; but where possible, un¬
published material has been chosen, so that the book should be
of real value as a basic source of Islamic material.

The exhibition has particularly stressed miniatures and
pottery; but there are examples of metal work, enameled glass,
calligraphy, and textiles as well. No rugs or monumental pieces
have been included. Textiles have only a minor representation
because they were so fully shown in that great exhibition,
“2000 Years of Silk Weaving,” organized by, and shown last
year in, The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Los Angeles
Museum of History, Science and Art, and The Detroit Institute
of Arts.

The Museum is exceedingly grateful to the 17 museums, 10
collectors, and 12 dealers who have made the Exhibition of
Islamic Art possible by their loans. Acknowledgment to those
who have given permission to reproduce their objects is given
beneath the illustrations. The pieces listed as belonging to The
Cleveland Museum of Art were purchased from the exhibition.

Generous gifts from Hanna Fund and from Mrs. Brooks
Emeny supplemented the Publication Fund of the Museum and
made this book possible. william m. milliken

ISLAMIC ART

A RT means skill in production and has only recently come
l to mean the objects of skillful production. In this sense
Islamic art may be defined as the artistic output of Islamic
people, Islamic people are those who follow the doctrine laid
down by the Prophet Muhammad early in the seventh century
and are called Muhammadans or Moslems,

The objects in the exhibition give an arbitrary cross-sectional
view of the artistic productions of Indian, Near Easterly and
Egyptian Muhammadans; and the examples chosen for illus¬
tration in this booklet represent most, though not all, of the
outstanding categories in the different periods,

Islamic art is not subject to immediate comprehension; for
as one assimilates the principles on which it is based, its appar¬
ent prettiness and superficiality give way to a mystical, sym¬
bolical interpretation, similar to that underlying every great
art. Most important of these principles is that found in the
Sayings of the Prophet , wherein it is stated that anyone making
**a graven image” will be required on the Day of Judgment to
breathe life into it. Failing, he will be condemned permanently
to hell-fire. This prohibition w^as taken sufficiently literally to
prevent the production of large-scale statues and paintings of
divine and human beings, such as are found, for example, in
Buddhism and Christianity, Thus there are few relief sculp¬
tures, and painting is confined to book-illustration. These
paintings, moreover, are not at all realistic, but are, rather, real,
in that they express metaphysical truths. They are not embodi¬
ments of material facts, but expressions of intellectual ideas,
just as are the poems of the Persian and Arabian mystics. Only
in the Mughal paintings of India does individual portraiture
come to the fore, but even here the colors are flat, there are no
cast shadows, and three-dimensional existence is indicated by
expert drawing withou t the help of shading.

Underlying everything Islamic is the belief that nothing is
permanent, save only Allah, and it is for this reason that pottery
is fragile and paintings are small and unpretentious.

This booklet would hardly have been possible without the
invaluable assistance of Dr, Richard Ettinghausen of the Freer
Gallery of Art, Howard hollis

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P age from an Arabic Translation of the De Materia Medic a by Diosco rides
Mesopo tarni a n, dated 1224

Lent by the William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art, Kansas City

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Page from an Automata Ms., a Treatise on Mechanical Devices
Syrian (?), dated A.D. 1315
Lent by H. Kevorkian

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Page from an Automata Ms., a Treatise on Mechanical Devices
Egyptian, Cairo, dated 1354
Lent by Mrs. Kirkor Minassian

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Goats; from a Ms. of the Manaji al-Hayavan y or Bestiary , by I bn Bakhtishu*
Persian, early XIV century
Lent by The Art Institute of Chicago

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Sikandar Slays the Unicorn; from a Shah-Nama y or Book of Kings
Persian, first half of XIV century
Lent by George Hewitt Myers

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Camel Attacked; from the Kaltla wa-Difftna y or Fables y of Bidpai
Persian, dated 1 333
Lent by Worcester Art Museum

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Bahrain Wrestling before Shangil; from a Shah-Nama, or Book of Kings

Persian, dated 134I
Lent by the Persian Antique Gallery

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Page from a Ms* of the Jami at-Tawarikh^ or Universal History,
by Rashid ad-Din

Persian, second half of XIV century
Lent by H* Kevorkian

Garden Fete of a Prince
Persian, late XIV century
Lent by Mrs. Kirkor Minassian

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Rustam Rescues Bizhan; from a Shah-Nama
Persian, XIV-XV centuries
Lent by H. Kevorkian

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Hunting Scene; from a Ms, of the Zajar-Nama , or History of Timur

Persian* dated 1435
Lent by H. Kevorkian

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Persian, XV century Rustam Slays the Dragon; from a Shah-Nama Lent by Paul J. Sachs

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Bahram Gur Visits the Princess of India; from the Haft Paikar y or
Seven Effigies y by Nizami
Persian, XV century
Lent by H. Kevorkian

Purchased by the Museum* The J. H. Wade Fund

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Persian, mid-XVI century Camel and Attendant Lent by Philip Hofer

Purchased by the Museum. The J. H. Wade Fund

Sikandar Slays the Dragon
Persian, mid-XYI century
Lent by The Pierpont Morgan Library

I 191

Camp Scene
Persian, mid-XVI century
Lent by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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Picnic in the Mountains; Style of Muhammadi

Persian, second half of XVI century
Lent by Philip Hofer

Purchased by the Museum. The J. H. Wade Fund

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Young Prince Zal; from a Shah-Nama Mounted Prince Meeting Dervish, by Quli Jan

Persian, Bukhara, mid-XVI century Persian, second half of XVI century

Lent by The Brooklyn Museum Lent by H. Kevorkian

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Cupbearer Lady Daydreaming, by Riza-i-‘Abbasi

Persian, first half of XVII century Persian, first half of XVII century

Lent by The City Art Museum of St. Louis Lent by Mrs. Edsel B. Ford

Noah's Ark

Indian, Mughal, late XV r I century
Lent by Mrs. Kirkor Minassian

124 }

Surrender of the Commandant of Kandahar, by Mahesh and Basawan
Indian, Mughal, late X\ : I century
Lent by Heeramaneck Galleries

Imperial Rooster, Signed by Dilaram Padarat Kashmiri
Indian, Mughal, early XVII century
Lent by H. Kevorkian
Gift to the Museum from Herbert F. Leisy

1261

Portrait of Akbar the Great
Indian, Mughal, first half of XVII century
Lent by Heeramaneck Galleries

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128 1

Battle Scene Head of the Emperor Jahangir (Enlarged three times)

Persian, second half of XVI century Indian, Mughal, first quarter of XVII century

I.ent bv Dr. larnb Hirsrh l.ent hv Dr Ananda K. ('nnmaraswamv

129 1

Bowl with Luster Camel, n" dia. Turquoise Bowl with Black Heron, 14" dia.

Iraqian or Persian, X century Mesopotamian, Kakka, XII century

Lent by The Detroit Institute of Arts Lent by Dikran G. Kelekian, Inc.

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White Bowl with Black Inscription, 9%" dia. Green Bowl with Sgraffito Decoration, 7J^" dia.

Persian, Nishapur, IX-X centuries Persian, Garrus, XI century

Lent by The Metropolitan Museum of Art Lent by Dikran G. Kelekian, Inc.

131 ]

White Bowl with Polychrome FigureSj 7%" dia. White Bowl with Blue Figures* B ff dia.

Persian, Rayy* early XIII century Persian, Kashan* mid-XIII century

Lent by The Minneapolis Institute of Arts Lent by Heeramaneek Galleries

Purchased by the Museum. The J, H. Wade Fund

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Bowl with Luster Spread-eagle, io" dia. Dish with Luster Antelope, io" dia.

Signed by Muslim Egyptian, Fustat, XI century

Egyptian, Fustat, X-XI centuries Lent by Dikran G. Kelekian, Inc.

Lent by Walter Hauser Purchased by the Museum. The J. H. Wade Fund

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Luster Bowl with Two Figures, 8%" dia. Luster Bowl with Falcon and Goose, 7%" dia.

Persian, Rayy, XII century Persian, Rayy, XII century

Lent by Dikran G. Kelekian, Inc. Lent by Walter Hauser

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Black and White Bowi with Blue Figures* dia. Gray Bowl with White Stag, io% ff dia.

Persian, Sultanabad region, XIII century Persian, Sultanabad region, early XIV century

Lent by Alfred F« Pillsbury Lent by Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection

135 1

Plate with Youth, 1334" dia. Dish with Flowers, nH" dia.

Persian, Kubachi, first half of XVII century Iurkish, I century

Lent by Dikran G. Keleklan, Inc. Lent by The Metropolitan Museum of Art

1361

Cream-yellow Bowl with Brown Bird, 9dia. Bronze Ewer, 93^" high

Persian, Am til, X-XI centuries Persian, VllI-IX centuries

Lent by Heeramaneck Galleries Lent by Brummer Gallery, Inc.

137 1

Brass Incense Burner with Silver Inlay, jy 2 " high Bronze Box with Gold and Silver Inlay, 3; y s " high

Persian or Mesopotamian, XIII century Syrian, XIII century

Lent by Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore Lent by Heeramaneck Galleries

Purchased by the Museum. The J. H. Wade Fund

Enameled Glass Bottle made for Sultan Malik an-Nasir Muhammad

Egyptian, XIV century
Lent by H. Kevorkian

Purchased by the Museum. The J. H. NVade Fund

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Stone Relief: possibly a Hitching-post

Persian, Hamadan (?), XII-XIII centuries
Lent by K. Stora and Company
Purchased by the Museum* The J. H. Wade Fund

139 !

140 ]

Persian, early XV century Bookbinding of Reddish-brown Leather, Blue, and Gold bent by Mrs. Kirkor Minassian

Purchased by the Museum. The J. H. Wade Fund

CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART

3 3032 00587 9782

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